Minister loses parliamentary ID pass in street

CABINET minister James Purnell faced a second security embarrassment after it emerged that he lost his wallet, containing a Parliamentary security pass, in a Soho street.

The Work and Pensions Secretary, who last year had to apologise after leaving confidential ministerial correspondence on a train, had an honest member of the public to thank as the wallet, which also contained bank cards and cash and was dropped as the MP got out of a taxi, was handed into police.

The passer-by found it in Dean Street last Monday.

Mr Purnell's spokesman said: "James dropped his wallet when returning from some shopping. He is very grateful to the member of the public who handed it in."

On the previous occasion, Mr Purnell had been working on papers from his ministerial red box on a journey from Macclesfield to Euston on 4 October. The missing papers - correspondence from MP Sir Gerald Kaufman relating to the case of one of his constituents - were returned three days later by fellow passengers.

A spokeswoman said at the time that Mr Purnell had not broken any rules in taking his red box on a train. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said of that episode: "He'll be as concerned as me that the rules for the future ensure these things cannot happen."